Seven persons, including three women and a child, were killed and 30 others injured in two separate road accidents in the district on Friday.
Five persons, including two women and a child, were killed on the spot when a car in which a family of 12 were travelling from Tiruchi to Thathaiengarpet rammed a roadside tree at Evoor near Musiri.
Police said the driver had lost control of the vehicle, leading to the accident. The family from Edamalaipattipudur in the city was proceeding to offer worship at a temple at Mangalam near Thathaiengarpet, police said. Police identified the dead as A. Kalyanasundaram (73), a retired teacher, K. Pushpakala (62), his wife; Dhanam (90), his mother; A.Udhayakumar (69), his brother; and K.P. Bhavadharani (6).
Of the eight injured, car driver S. Babu (35) has been admitted to the Government Hospital in Musiri while the others were admitted to private and government hospitals in Tiruchi.
Two killed near Manapparai
In another accident, two persons were killed when the van in which they were travelling overturned at Valanadu near Manapparai in the early hours of Friday.
Twenty-five persons were proceeding in the van from Kallupatti near Madurai to Tirunallar to offer worship at the Sri Saneeswarar Temple. The van overturned after one of its tyres burst and came to a halt after crossing the median, police said.
K. Vijayakumar (55) of Paramakudi and Chandra (45) were among the dead. Twenty-two injured persons were rushed to the Government Headquarters Hospital in Manapparai and later referred to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchi. Valanadu police have registered a case and are investigating.